Fitnovatives Blog

Are you a personal trainer, group fitness instructor or other practicing fitness professional? Thought leaders from ACE and throughout the industry will keep you on the forefront of fitness with the latest research, best practices, and innovative tools and techniques to boost your fitness career. Plus get practical information, insight and tips in the areas of functional movement, strength training, cardio training, core training, metabolic conditioning, performance training, group exercise, small group training, mind-body, behavior change, coaching and motivation for lasting results with clients.

While the side plank is an effective exercise, it’s always a good idea to add variety to your workouts and challenge your body in new ways. Check out these five exercises that are great alternatives to the side plank.

The TRX Suspension Trainer is a great way to improve mobility and flexibility, both of which are essential staples of fitness. Here are some safe and effective joint mobility and flexibility exercises utilizing the TRX that can be incorporated into the warm-up and cool-down segments of your clients’ workouts.

While the signs of undertraining are usually fairly visible, the signs of overtraining can be harder to spot. But with the increasing popularity of high-intensity workouts, the risk of overtraining has, arguably, never been higher. Here are some common signs you may be suffering from overtraining.

Combining a progressive training program with an expert nutrition plan can dramatically improve client results, leading to everything from improved client retention to increased sales. The real secret is providing your clients with a healthful nutrition plan, not just another diet.

While there is no single right way to train clients who are overweight or have obesity, using regressions can be an effective method to employ. Functional resistance training and training for daily activities is an ideal method to ensure clients connect their exercise gains with life movements. The key is to utilize “precursor” exercises, like the ones presented here, which benefit coordination, stability, mobility and motor control.

As a health and fitness professional, it can be a challenge to get your clients to open up about the difficulties they face in making lasting behavior change. Motivational interviewing, however, can be an effective communication strategy for exploring the ambivalence your clients may feel about making healthy changes in their lives. From asking open-ended questions to affirming your clients’ responses, learn how to use this powerful technique with your clients.

Some of the simplest exercises are often the most valuable. Compound exercises, for example, address many actions at once, making them both efficient and effective. Here are five of the best compound exercises to add to your workout.

Dumbbells are arguably the most versatile and affordable exercise equipment available, making it easy to get a total-body workout at home or at the gym. Here are some great variations on traditional exercises that will get your heart pumping and build muscular strength and endurance.

It seems everyone has a different idea about how much protein, carbs and fat we should be eating each day. Should we be eating more protein than carbohydrates or fat? What are the best sources of protein—animal or plant based? From how much protein you need based on your activity level to special considerations for kids and teens, U Rock Girl breaks it all down.